Goa Diary

A recent article by a Delhi correspondent of a leading Paris-based newspaper has come in handy for the saffron robes to berate the Indian press. The article published in a national newspaper severely criticises local journalists for unfairly blaming the BJP for the recent attacks on Christians. It is the writer8217;s contention that the violence against the minorities is part of a larger bloodletting across the country particularly in states like Bihar.

Now the Frenchman, an old India-hand probably did not foresee the efficiency of the saffron brigades propaganda mill. The correspondent writing a similar piece would be labelled a member of the Sangh Parivar. Now the BJP is trying to co-opt him into it.

Populism checkmated

Even as his Government was gasping for its last breath, former chief minister LuizinhoFaleiro thought up an expensive idea to keep his High Command happy. He dipped into the Rs 50 crore grant provided by the Centre for development purposes and sanctioned funds for a cultural centre named after the late Rajiv Gandhi.

Now the project costing more than a crore of rupees will return in cold storage for some more time as the governor has refused to sanction funds for it.

Accident-prone Goa

Tourists beware. Riding those ubiquitous two-wheelers on Goa8217;s roads could cost your life. The state has 2.5 lakh vehicles on the streets of which nearly two lakh happen to be two-wheelers.

With one vehicle for every four persons in the state, the accident rate is also very high. Nearly five hundred mishaps with 154 cases of casualties were reported just last year. And the number of tourists dying on the streets is taking up a lot of newsprint in Goa.

Tailpiece

Goa8217;s Governor Lt Gen Retd J F R Jacob did not quite expect to rule8217; the state when he took up the post last year. He toldthe local press that he8217;d have a quiet nice time with only some fishing to occupy his time. Unfortunately, the octogenarian now finds time to relax only on Sundays.

8212; SHIV KUMAR